Atlantic City hosts the World Championship of Sand Sculpting, June 13-30. Peter Tobia/Atlantic City Alliance
1st Place in the Solo Division – Karen Fralich from Ontario, Canada for “Amazon’s Pet” ($2,500 prize). Peter Tobia/Atlantic City Alliance
A sculptor puts the finishing touches on his piece. Peter Tobia/Atlantic City Alliance
Thousands of spectators flock to the Atlantic City Beach to see sand sculptors in action at the World Championship of Sand Sculpting. Peter Tobia/Atlantic City Alliance
A work in progress. Peter Tobia/Atlantic City Alliance

Free and Open to the Public from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily

ATLANTICCITY, NJ (June 18, 2013) /PRNewswire/ — Artists and visitors have gathered for the World Championship of Sand Sculpting June 13-30 in Atlantic City, returning the century-old art form to its roots. The competition marks the first time the World Championship of Sand Sculpting has been held in Atlantic City, where sand artistry had its earliest beginnings in the late 1800s, and only the third time this event has been held in the U.S. since it began in the 1980s.

Over 1.2 million pounds of fine-grade sand were trucked in for carvers to unleash their eye-popping talent. Before spectators’ disbelieving eyes sculptors create complex and detailed works, some as tall as 14 feet, with just sand and water. The World Championship of Sand Sculpting provides another opportunity for Atlantic City to showcase its many attractions beyond gaming.

“These are massive sand portraits that can take many surprising forms from well-known celebrities and mythical creatures to fantastic sandcastles,” explains Liza Cartmell, Atlantic City Alliance President. “Popular with all ages, these works of art are ideal for picture taking and posting to social media and provide another reason to DO AC.”

Event directors Charlie Beaulieu and Suzanne Altamare have teamed up with Atlantic City native sand sculptor John Gowdy along with the Atlantic City Alliance to produce the 2013 World Championship of Sand Sculpting.

Twenty-seven sculptors from 13 nations are competing in head-to-head singles and doubles competitions for over $16,000 in prize money. The event, free and open to the public, takes place on the Atlantic City Beach at Missouri Avenue (between the Pier Shops at Caesars and Trump Plaza Beach Bar) and is open from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily.

Winners in the Solo Division were announced on June 16. They were judged by local artists, their fellow sculptors and visitors. And the winners are:

Doubles Division competition begins on Thursday, June 20 with doubles winners awarded on Sunday, June 23. Live sculpting performances by Food Network star Ray Villafane and his partner Andy Berkholtz take place June 25 – 28. The competition site is open daily from 10 am – 7 pm until June 30. The sculptures will remain on display.

“This is the most informative and exciting time to view the sculptures and gain an understanding of the art and science of this unusual medium,” explained Charlie Beaulieu, a former gold medal winner, Guinness World Record holder and director of the Atlantic City event. “These magical, sandy confections will remain intact on the beach for many more weeks or possibly months, available for visitors to pose, snap, post and tag.”

In addition to the amazing solos and doubles competition, visitors will have the opportunity to:

Learn techniques and tips from professional sculptors.

Watch award-winning artist, and event organizer John Gowdy perform his famous “Flying Colors” in which he paints portraits of famous musicians to the sound of their music in less than 10 minutes. “Flying Colors” will be held at 8 p.m. on June 21, 22 and 28 on the stage at Kennedy Plaza on the Boardwalk outside Boardwalk Hall. Finished paintings will be put up for auction with a portion of the proceeds going to the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority Foundation.

Sand Sculpting on Social Media
The Atlantic City Alliance’s Do Crew has been out and about throughout the competition. They are taking photos of spectators in a “picture themselves in AC” backdrop. The photos are uploaded to Facebook where users can tag, like and share their favorite photos using the hashtag #DOACsand.

CBS3 in Philadelphia is the media partner for the World Championship of Sand Sculpting.

History of Sand Sculpting in Atlantic City
Sand sculpting in Atlantic City dates all the way back to 1897 when the Boardwalk was first built. Sand artists created their masterpieces next to the Boardwalk to entice passersby to toss coins onto the sand. This form of art flourished for nearly 50 years, coming to an end in 1944 when an unnamed hurricane wiped out their works. John Gowdy, a retired Atlantic City firefighter and a competitive sand carver since 1987, finds it especially appropriate that the international competition is taking place in Atlantic City this year. “Sand sculpting as an art form has been growing in popularity in recent years,” said Gowdy. “This contest will bring the art form of sand sculpture back to its roots, where it belongs.”

About the World Championship of Sand Sculpting
The World Championship of Sand Sculpting takes place on the Atlantic City Beach at Missouri Avenue (between the Pier Shops at Caesars and Trump Plaza Beach Bar) June 13-30 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The works are made with nothing more than fine-grade sand and water. Event directors Charlie Beaulieu and Suzanne Altamare have teamed up with Atlantic City native sand sculptor John Gowdy along with the Atlantic City Alliance to produce the 2013 World Championship of Sand Sculpting. The World Championship of Sand Sculpting was first produced over 30 years ago in White Rock, British Columbia, Canada. It was then moved to Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia, Canada for a run of 19 years. 2013 marks the third time the World Championship of Sand Sculpting has been produced in the United States. Representatives from 13 nations will compete to be the World’s best. To learn more visit www.worldchampionshipofsandsculpting.com or on Facebook www.facebook.com/worldsfans.

About Atlantic City
From sandals to stilettos and foie gras to funnel cakes, Atlantic City offers something for everyone. Enjoy world-class entertainment, dining, shopping, gaming, relaxing on the beach and strolling the historic Boardwalk in the city created to escape the city. For more information visit www.doatlanticcity.com.

The Atlantic City Alliance was established in 2011 as a private, not-for-profit corporation whose primary mission is to develop and implement a full-scale, broad-based, multi-year marketing program for Atlantic City.